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If there was anyone out there who didnâ€™t know that weâ€™ve had a (prolonged) hiatus, with the first minutes of this episode they would know â€“ for we get the kind of The-Road-So-Far montage we are only given after a long break. The first twelve episodes condensed into these scenes with Aerosmithâ€™s â€˜Back in the Saddleâ€™â€¦ yes, our show is back. And, boy, did I miss it.

Itâ€™s been long weeks without Winchesters and Co. Now I can relax again, as the natural order is restoredâ€¦ ah, wellâ€¦ is it? A new leader rises in the West, the Mother of all Monsters has re-surfaced and everything will get darker. But not today. Today I celebrate that I recognize my Sam again. I celebrate that Dean was given at least a little break from worrying. I celebrate the return of brotherly moments, for I intend to revel in them as long as I can. With tragedy already knocking on the door (or, well, the wallâ€¦), Iâ€™m certain they wonâ€™t last long.

At last the secret is out, as it always must come in the end

Strange things are happening. Young women disappear. For instance from a plane flying through a thunderstorm. Who in his right mind does that? Guys, playing the boasting hero who will fly even through thunder and lightning isnâ€™t always the best idea. You never know what might wait out there. In this case the â€˜whatâ€™ has wings. Dragons are crawling the Earth. For the first time since the Middle Ages. And they have a preference for virgins.

Our heroes know nothing of these new circumstances, yet. For the time being, Dean spends his hours in or outside the panic room, waiting for Sam, whoâ€™s still on his cot there with a drip infusion attached to his arm, to wake up. There are moments I wish these hunters would at least occasionally consult a doctor, and I hope they have. Sam unconscious â€“ so much could be wrong with the man. He hasnâ€™t slept in more than a year. His metabolism might be upside down, and if they only gave him plain saline solution, it might not be enough. Sorry, doctor moment over.

This scene really moves me, and perhaps even more because it was one of the previews we were given. I was curious to see how it was embedded in the episode, and Castielâ€™s assessment of Samâ€™s skinned alive soul is creepy and terrible. He might never wake up. Cas is downright horrified of the state Samâ€™s soul is in. And in part I agree with him. As much as I know that Sam needed his soul back â€“ I dread the moment when the first images from his time in hell and the pain connected to them will come dripping through that wall.
None here takes this lightly. Dean is scared of it, so is Bobby who is coping with the situation in the manner heâ€™s used to â€“ booze, ahem respectively: medicine. The hunterâ€™s version of an antidepressant. I am not surprised that Bobby seems uneasy. Throughout the whole episode we will see a very distant, bothered Bobby. Even though in some corner of his soul he surely is relieved to meet Sam again, the boy heâ€™s loved for so many years, at the moment he is still troubled by the last events. His â€˜sonâ€™ almost killing himâ€¦ Hardly anyone would be able to put that away quickly.

And still heâ€™s trying to console Dean. Of course Dean is worried. â€˜Dean, heâ€™s been through how much? Somehow he always bounces back.â€™ â€“ â€˜Heâ€™s never been through this.â€™

Oh, yes, Dean knows. He knows what it means to have been to hell. To have suffered in hell. Heâ€™s the expert in that field. Probably he tries not to imagine what Sam might have been through, but he canâ€™t help being worried out of his wits, Iâ€™d say. And he does what he always does when terrified: he tries to focus on the job. Any job.

The delicious story is ripe to tell to the intimate friend

No time. All of a sudden Sam stands in the door. Okay. Hereâ€™s the first time I reach for tissues. Sammyâ€¦ oh, Sammyâ€¦ As he moves closer, unbelieving, confused, vulnerable, but so very moved to see his brother, I well up. Heâ€™s really back. Everything in his demeanor reveals that this is the Sam we grew to love. Instantly we feel the heart of the man, feel his soul. Perhaps I didnâ€™t realize how much I missed him until now.

Watching this scene I react like I do when I watch documentaries of river otters, for example. I love those cute little mammals, I could cry every time I see them on pictures or TV. Something about them hits my soul with so much warmth and endless smiles that I feel instantly happy. This is exactly how I respond now. Sammy, the otter? Nay, of course not. But my heart opens up with the same sensation of enchantment.

He moves to his brother who equally canâ€™t believe to see him up and about and hugs him desperatelyâ€¦ exhaling deeplyâ€¦ as if Sam didnâ€™t believe it until he really felt Deanâ€™s body close to his and realized that heâ€™s really there.

I am so beyond myself at this moment as Dean slowly hugs him back, giving in to the notion that his brother is here, back, real. In this instant, Sam can allow himself to feel happy, and we see it in his smile as he turns to Bobby who remains awkwardly confused and distant. Though they were hoping for Samâ€™s return, it is a bit much. I can only assume there are a wild variety of emotions raging through Bobby right now.

Emotions, Sam doesnâ€™t know anything about, of course. He felt Lucifer snap Bobbyâ€™s neck, and to find him alive must be overwhelming for him, even more as he hears that Castiel is alive, too. The gang survived! What a relief for the young hunter who still remains in merciful oblivion about what happened over the last year and a half.

With re-souled Sam on the screen I canâ€™t help but think how amazing an actor Jared Padalecki has become. This is an utterly different person than the one weâ€™ve encountered over the first half of the season. Jared showed us, just as he did when he portrayed Lucifer, how much he has honed his acting abilities. To play such a multi-dimensional character requires some. And he is constantly growing in his craft. I canâ€™t help it. I get so very proud when I see a young actor grow.

When the show started out, Jared was still very young and inexperienced in the drama department. He had not portrayed characters of these dimensions before and you can watch his development from season to season, becoming more and more a match for Jensen Acklesâ€™ already fabulous acting skills. Watching those two grow to a pair of wonderfully attuned actors had been a joy from episode one. It produced chemistry I fell victim to from the beginning. They have been the heart and soul of this show. Their relationship was tight, and then torn apart, brought together againâ€¦ a cyclone of confusing emotions but always based on deep brotherly love.
The last time I felt this was in Swan Song. And that has been a while. I missed it. I missed missing themâ€¦

Looks like Iâ€™m on a similar page with this as Sam is, since all that he remembers took place in Swan Song. And then waking up in the panic room. But, Sammy, dear, this wonâ€™t remain a peaceful return, I fear. Memories will be coming back. Thatâ€™s how it works with anything shoved down into the deep pits of a humanâ€™s psyche.

Over the tea-cups and in the square the tongue has its desire

And thatâ€™s exactly what Dean fearsâ€¦. Yes, we are back again to protecting each other by masking the terrible truth. Indeed, the show is back. This is the Winchester way. Ah, Deanâ€¦ all that weight on your shoulders again.

He takes it willingly. He needs to save his brother. He canâ€™t help it. He stuffs back his own despair thatâ€™s creeping up his spine and plays the â€˜happyâ€™ brother which, unfortunately, results in more confusion for Sam who knows what it must have meant to spend one and a half year in hell and who canâ€™t remember a thing. And with his brother being all tight-lipped, of course Sam must assume that Dean made a deal of sorts.

And he did, eh? Dean, this is your brother you are trying to foolâ€¦ itâ€™s not working, and Bobby isnâ€™t of much help here, either. Sam knows. He canâ€™t yet lay a finger on it, but he knows that something must be terribly wrong. The something â€˜â€¦I should know?â€™ Sam has always had splendid instincts. He will find a way to reveal the answer. But for the moment, Dean has to insist that for once, everything is â€˜neat and cleanâ€™.

This scene is so intense. Samâ€™s confusion (and, the man is finally eating something, bless him), Bobbyâ€™s reluctance, Deanâ€™s eager wishful thinking. I need to breathe. I realize shocked, that my nails are dug into the pillow I keep on my stomach when I get nervousâ€¦ and I am saddened to see Dean holding on to that gift horse like to dear life. Heâ€™s ready to do anything to keep the truth from Sam, and he wonâ€™t allow Bobby â€“ despite his emotional turmoil â€“ to do it, either. He canâ€™t.

â€˜Heâ€™s not dumb. He should hear it from us.â€™
â€˜Could we just leave it alone for the moment, please?â€™

Oh, Dean. My heart bleeds for you, as cheesy as that may sound. He knows that Bobby is right. Of course he knows. But I guess he canâ€™t bear the thought of having to break the truth to his brother, now that he has him back, safe and sound, more or less. Heâ€™s holding on the illusion he created with Deathâ€™s help. But it stands on shaky columns. One of them is Bobby. When he withdraws from the intended mission with a weak excuse, heâ€™s not subtle. â€˜One part age, three parts liquorâ€™, is Deanâ€™s equally weak explanation (though a hilarious one!). Oh, yes, Sam will not wait long to get some answers. He feels that something is very, very strange. And wrong.

The following scene of two handsome â€˜fedsâ€™ is one of my favourites. Sam gives the shell shocked sister of one victim the puppy dog look, caring, understanding, that loveable part of his genuine self, and persuades her to let them in for a moment.

And then we get that beautiful little smile from Dean who realizes again that his brother is back to his old self, with the hell experience safely stored behind a wall. He feels comfortable right now. Perhaps he even lies to himself, telling himself that all was back to normal, to at least get a breather. He feels so comfortable that he has no problem stealing the missing girlâ€™s diary and informing Sam that the virgin decided to give her boyfriend her most precious gift. â€˜That sounded really creepy coming out of your mouth.â€™ Yep. It did. But, yes, Dean â€˜delivered it.â€™ Oh, yes, I love that sceneâ€¦

Still waters run deep, my dear, thereâ€™s never smoke without fire

Hm, but that leads to another problem â€“ who would want virgins? No, Dean, sweetie, Sam didnâ€™t mean what man would want virgins. More like: which supernatural entity would need virgins and for what? And is must be something paranormal â€“ who else would know that Melissa was not a virgin only by touching her (in a non-biblical way)?

Virgins. Gold.

Thereâ€™s one mythical creature that comes to mind. But, wait, those havenâ€™t been around for quite a while. Dragonsâ€¦ ha! They might be real, even though Bobby wouldnâ€™t think of calling Hogwarts. (who would have thought that Bobby might be a Harry Potter fan? Well, since he digs Tori Spelling, everything is possibleâ€¦) Who he does point them to, however, is an old flame of his â€“ Dr Visyak, a professor of medieval studies. And a great gal. Iâ€™ll believe in an instant that Bobby was an idiot to let that woman go, and I hope weâ€™ll see some more of her in the course of the upcoming episodes. And I wouldnâ€™t mind see her have a go at Bobby.

Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links

Bobby and women â€“ an interesting storyâ€¦ Unfortunately, it remains â€˜his story to tell.â€™ Well, I, for one, am hoping to get some background to that someday. Bobbyâ€™s love life has been terribly neglected for almost six seasons nowâ€¦

The charming professor doesnâ€™t play around. She knows that dragons are not funny. â€˜At all.â€™ And Dean needs a blade to kill the thing. A sword forged with dragonâ€™s blood. And the woman just happens to have one in the basement. Itâ€™s not King Arthurs Excalibur nor Lancelotâ€™s Arondight, nor is it Siegfriedâ€™s Balmung. This is the sword of Brunswick, not a sword known in mythology, but probably coming from the ancient German city of Brunswick founded about 800 A.D. and it is said that the name derives from the word brand, denoting that the landscape had been cleared through burning before the city was built. Dragons, by any chance?

Though it is not Excalibur, we get a wonderful, inspired King Arthur moment here! Alas, Dean is not Arthurâ€¦ he is of course a modern version of a brave knight, but he is not the knight this sword would chooseâ€¦ not even with heroic music and a stout heart. Well, Dean would not be the Dean if he gave in so quicklyâ€¦ Heâ€™s not going to be laughed at by a sword in a stone!

Comments

It really, REALLY, was wonderful to see Sam again. And I'm in agreement, hats off to Jared for doing such a wonderful job. I was very not fond of RoboSam, and the moment he walked in the room, he was identifiable as Sam. Our Sam. Itâ€™s amazing how he can cause me to like, fear, dislike and swoon over the characters he portrays. All in the same show, sometimes playing variations of the same character. Freaking awesome. And Kudos to Jensen as he wonderfully gave so much life to Dean's reaction. I could almost hear his inner monologue. "Sam? Wait, is that really Sam? SAM?! It's my brother!"

Rather fond of Doctor Visyak myself. Way to go Bobby! And you idjit Bobby! Howâ€™d you manage to alienate yourself from her? (And on a side note, I loved how Jim Beaver played Bobbyâ€™s phone call to Dean. I swear, he was almost tasting her name. Heh. SO want to hear that story!)

Loved Dean and the doctor interactions. Though I must say, Dean looked terribly out of place in her living room. I think that may be the first time weâ€™ve seen Dean, in his own street clothes, relaxed, in an affluent house. And am I just going a bit too over analytical here? But I swear the writers were playing a joke. Dean admits he prefers women with experience. Voila! He meets an attractive, older woman of experience. In drops a joke about a â€˜bladeâ€™ (we know where your mind went Dean!) He then goes about trying to impress said attractive woman by pulling out a sword she is fond of. (Am I the only one seeing the subtext? Am I sick?! ) Impressing the woman doesnâ€™t go quite as planned, so move on to plan B. Which ends with Dean coming up a bit, eh, short sworded, and the Doctor is VERY unimpressed. Well, no matter if Iâ€™m reading too much into it, it was still a hilarious scene.

So glad the brothers are back together. Iâ€™m officially excited about the show again! Hurrah!

Hi, Yvonne, (oh, I like this reply-to-comment thing, Alice!), Iâ€™m happy that you feel so comfortable on my couch, and you are always welcome here!

I also felt that Dean seemed utterly out of place in her living room and in his conversation with her. Iâ€™d say, without being too analytical (ahem, and this coming from the resident therapist), perhaps he was intimidated by her which is often to be found when younger men and experienced women (whose IQ is also established) meet. She probably would have been more impressed if he had just been his loveable self instead of would-be-knight.

But we got a wonderful scene out of this! And â€“ Dean did leave an impression. Not the one he might have intended, though, poor laddieâ€¦

Iâ€™m so sharing your excitement! Thank you so much for your comment, dear. Love, Jas

@Jasminka: I lOVE the HUG! (I punched the air with my fist when I saw that.) --all our guys were superb as usual.--I love that scene between Sam and Cas (esp. how Misha played it.)-- I wish SPN had chosen an older woman to play the Mother. The actress who played Dr. Visyak would have been great, I think. --- and if the SPN Universe was real, I'm really pissed off enough to want to give God a great SMACK! or several smacks on the fanny for the bad things which happened to the boys in S6 (except Dean's hapy time with Lisa and Ben). I mean the boys averted the Apocalypse for crying out loud!

FMJemena hello and thanks for commenting! Perhaps we should all get in line for the infamous God-smackâ€¦? Youâ€™re so right, we got so many beautiful scenes. Perhaps I should try that punching the air thing, too. Havenâ€™t done that in a long time! Cheers, Jas

Mother? Pah. More like Babysitter ... She didn't look nearly impressive enough to be the Big Bad. Liked Dr. V, although she must have a trust fund or seriously impressive powers of barter as that was a fantastically swanky crib for a history professor ... Bobby is SO out of his league, he should stick to Next-Door Pie Lady!

Hey, Suze, so right you are, gal! Babysitter, muahâ€¦ I would really like to see a woman of charisma for once. Like Dr Visyak. She could have played the monster mommy much more convincinglyâ€¦ thank you, dear! , Jas

I've read quite a few comments lately about how the actress chosen to play the Mother should be older. I'd like to share my view on the matter.

I can't deny that they could have chosen a more charismatic actress, but really, it makes sense that she is young. If I understand correctly, Purgatory is the place monsters go when they die. Thus, it's a place of spirits, like Heaven or Hell, and there are no bodies there that could be used as a vessel for Mother. The spell to bring her out of Purgatory required a virgin sacrifice, and generally, virgins are young girls. So I think - in addition to being symbolic - the virgin sacrifice was part of the spell for the very purpose of providing a vessel for the Mother to walk earth in.

So anyway, that's my 2 cents. Sorry if it was super long and rambly. I've never posted before, but I love reading all of the articles and comments! Great site!

How could I have missed your comment earlier, Calcifera, forgive me! And welcome to the commenting experience!

And what a beautiful penname. I agree that virgins are (usually) young girls, and Iâ€™m giving that actress more than one chance to prove her skills, itâ€™s just that I wish they had found one of more charisma. Just as with the actress who played Lilithâ€¦ she didnâ€™t carry any weight, either. It didnâ€™t impress me, really, but Iâ€™m known to be very critical when it comes to acting which might just be a part of my own theatre days heritageâ€¦

Thank you, and thank you for acknowleding our site. I know I speak for all of us when I say, we're happy and honoured to be able to give you a lot of fun with what we do here.

Jas, you know I loved this open couch article just as I loved this episode.Did I not always tell you, he would get him back?I too thought Jared was wonderful here, as soon as Sam moved almost hesitently and child like into that room, you just knew that this WAS Sam and we got that hug that would have brought tears to a glass eye.So what if the dragons were a little bit of a let down, I really did not care about the MOTW story or the mytharc or anything else here, I also did not want to spend any time worrying about what will happen when `The Great Wall Of Sam` begins to crumble (and of course we know it is going to)I wanted to join Dean in his ostrich impression, burying my head deep in the sand and ignoring everything else. Sam was there, complete with his soft, caring nature and the puppy eyes, and how I loved that smile that followed their deployment!!! The banter we have so missed, `I`ve been gone a year and you`re still not funny`. The way he tried in vain to lay on the guilt trip about stealing the girls diary and Deans` joy at him doing this, BTW, I also thought he delivered that line wonderfully!Of course I also loved the sword in the stone saga, but it does amaze me yet again how much debate this generated in the wider fandom. Why could Dean not just remove the sword? Because it was so much funnier that he could not and had to improvise with a very `Dean` solution. And then of course people are actually also debating why Dean couldn`t reach the elusive `Sword down the grate` and Sam could, For Chucks` sake people could it be because HIS ARMS ARE LONGER? I do think that sometimes this fanbase can tend to over analyse slightly. So thanks again for this article, it`s so nice to snuggle down on the couch and feel good, even if just for a while as we all know what`s lurking, but let`s enjoy it while we can. The last time I felt this good after an episode was PONR, and I have missed this feeling, I could ramble on about it for hours, but I wont but I just have to say it `It IS him` Love Ju

Julie, dear friend, yes you were right â€“ we did get him back, and thank you so much for always reminding me when my spirit faltered.

You are welcome to ramble on on my couch as much and often as you like. Iâ€™m happy to provide a place where you feel comfortable doing so. This episode was so full of moments that we love, the bantering, the puppy dog thing, the hugs, the tearing up, the believing in one anotherâ€¦ sighâ€¦ Good times. Letâ€™s enjoy them while we can!

Hi JasminkaAwwww its so good to sit back on the couch. Eight weeks is just too long.

Seeing Sam laying on the cot like that reminded me of how he looked laying on the mattress in AHBL pt2. I was actually relieved to see the IV bottle.

I loved this episode.I loved the HUG, the banter, the smiles, the brothersâ€™ working together as a team.I loved seeing Deanâ€™s pure enjoyment each time Sam displayed any of his idiosyncrasies. Using the puppy dog eyes and sympathetic demeanour, being shocked that Dean stole the girlsâ€™ diary. Even his heart felt apology at the end. It was all proof that the real Sam was back.

I understand Bobbyâ€™s unease around Sam. You just donâ€™t easily forget when someone you loved and treated like a son tried to kill you. Even if that person was not them self, itâ€™s still hard to forgive and forget. I just hope it doesnâ€™t last too long.

I believe Dean was able to forgive and forget so easily because he never really accepted RoboSam to be his brother. The true and real part of Sam was missing and thatâ€™s why he was willing to risk at all cost to having Samâ€™s soul re-entered. It reminded me of â€˜When the Levee Breaksâ€™ when he said that if Sam died at lease he would die human.

I loved the scene between Dean and the stone and bringing in the 21st century. If Dean just walked up and removed the sword I would have been disappointed. As much as I donâ€™t doubt Deanâ€™s bravery and is a modern day knight, I believe there has to be some kind of bloodline/lineage/spiritual connection to the sword.

As for the motw and the new mytharc with Mommy Dearest, it really wasnâ€™t that important to me this episodeâ€¦all I cared about was seeing the brothers back. I did prefer the off screen take of the dragons more than seeing them in human form. And since they only gave us a quick introduction to Mommy Dearest. Iâ€™m willing to wait and see how it is played out in further episodes.

Karen, dear, feel free to snuggle in at any time here on my couch! This episode held so many emotions, but mostly happy ones for meâ€¦ And, yes, if Dean had removed the sword without much effort â€“ who would have believed a camp move like that? If he had been Michael in season 5, perhaps he would have been able to do so, since Michael is the ultimate dragon slayer (as in: slaying the serpent who was the devil), but Dean is just a man, a brave one, a modern knight, but this slaying thing might just not be his primary business. Who know, perhaps weâ€™ll see more of that in the future? Love, Jas

QUESTION: Who brought Sam's body topside w/o his soul? and WHY? Could it be Death? If so, WHY again? Is Crowley really out of the story or did he plan his death so that he could get to Purgatory?

I have nothing against the actress chosen to play Mommy Dearest--she has to be really good as there is a lot riding on her--it's just that you need someone ageless to portray that kind of ancient, powerful Mama.

On Dr. Visyak? Wathc that exchange again in the living room. She checked Dean out below the belt and Dean reacted. She checked out his ass too when he tried for the sword. Ooooh, I love that lady!

Ok, this is my first time on the couch. Should I sit or lay?Thank you Jasminka for your artikel. I enjoyed reading it. I would love to find out about Bobby and Dr.V. I doubted that Bobby and her are not in the same leage maybe she likes a handyman and she wasnÂ´t scared off after she learned what Bobby doe (like the neighbor lady).Question to the resident therapist: If Sam memories come back bit by bit could he learn to live with them? Because that is what I hope for.It gave me shivers when I think my body was walking around with no soul (me). So what did my body? Of course I would feel responisble.

Whatever you like, Junkerin, itâ€™s always up to the â€˜patientâ€™, dear. Thank you for your kind words, Iâ€™m glad you liked your first session on my couch.

You know, if those memories came back, he could learn to live with them. Many people are capable of that. In my line of work Iâ€™ve witnessed countless proofs of courage as traumatized people began to own their scars and take back control over their lives. It is possible. But one needs help. It doesnâ€™t have to be a professional one, not always. But itâ€™s easier with a neutral person who has the qualifications to walk you through the whole ordeal.

I live in hope. Sam will suffer horribly, Iâ€™m certain, but he will survive and live with those memories, just as Dean does. They are strong guys, thank God.

LOVED the hug! Oh my! I could tell right away at Sam's "Dean" that Sammy was back, and the tears started to come. God, I've missed this Sammy so much in the 2 years previous. Awesome acting, Jared! Now I will be able to watch the first half knowing Sam will be back, and so enjoy the episodes much more.

Dean was able to be the realDean again after all this time, bless him. Such a relief for him, especially after all the doom and gloom advice from Cas. He had no other choice than to get the soul back or he would have had to kill his brother's body to keep it from doing awful things to innocent people. Loved Dean in this episode, the relief, the happiness to have his Sammy back, the fight with the stone.L0L.

I wasn't concerned about the MOTW at all this episode. Mytharc Shmytharc! Who cares? The boys are back together and for a while things are all right in this universe and I hope they stay that way for quite a few episodes.

Instead of ending with a gut wrenching pain it was a delightful happy uplifting joy. Happy dance! Our boys are back!

Hello Bevie, Iâ€™m joining you in the happy dance! Perhaps next time the CW should bring some Kleenex with it, eh? Letâ€™s enjoy the happy moments as long as we get them. I assume the next episode will be of a different kind. Cheers! Jas

Everybody scoot together a little bit so I can snuggle in between you guys.

So much to say about this episode. So little words to describe it all.

First of all Jensen and Jared. I so do agree with you on the part that we were able to watch them grow into their acting abilities. Like you said Jensen was always good but I still think that today he is even better. And Jared, well as much as I love my supernatural. When I watch an ep of season 1 I sometimes catch my self thinking "Come on Jared you can do that better more convincing. I know you can cause I saw you do it" Oh well but then again like you said he grew with the show and I enjoyed being able to watch that a whole lot.

I so understand Dean's refusal to tell Sam what happend during the last one and a half years. For one it would be scratching the Sam wall (and we all know you shouldn't do that) and secondly Dean just dwells (like I am) in the happy feeling that everything is perfect now again. Sam is back to his own self and Dean is so glad about that it shows in everything. Everytime he looks at Sammy you can see it. In his refusal to give in to Bobby to tell Sam about the past. Dean deep down knows that Sam will find out and that it would be best if he would hear it from Dean but dang that would destroy his happy feeling about the momentary situation. After all they have been through who can blame him that he wants to dwell in it for just a little bit longer. And then the scene where Bobby and Dean are about to take off on a hunt and Bobby asks what about Sam and Dean replies that he wants to let him sleep. He is reacting like a worried mother of her child that had been terrible sick and is just now on the way of recovery and it needs a lot of sleep to do so.

Besides the brotherly love - one of my favourite scenes of course is the recovering of the sword. And that even with classical tunes from Jethro Tull. It was so hilarious and I had to rewind it a few times. By the way did anyone besides me wonder what kind of treasures the impala holds that we haven't heard off. First the sniper riffle and now explosives.

About the mother of all and the woman portraying her. I agree that we shouldn't make any judgment just yet. We haven't seen enough of her yet. To think that a young woman couldn't be a big baddy - Hello where have you guys been in the past. More then once baddies where little kids and Lilith was a scary little girl - don't you guys think so?

Jas I love how you brought up some history on the mother of all. The goddess that came to my mind is a little older and mostly fictional though. It is the mother of all from the Ayla books. Unfortunatly I can't remember her name.

Thanks again for bringing back the couch hun. Love you for doing that.

Oops guys we need to scoot together somemore. There are more people who want to sit on our couch.

Thanks for the extended office hours! I loved the episode for all the reasons everyone has already listed, but mainly for the essential Samness and Deanness (not to be confused with Lochness!) of it all. Sam was his old compassionate, observant, user-of-puppy-dog-eyes self. And Dean was positively vibrating with excitement and giddy with joy about having his brother back AND being able to be himself. He was like an a lady in the Victorian era -- now that the corset of Sam's soullessness was removed, he could let it all hang out, and just breathe. (Can't quite believe I made that comparison, but it works!). And I'm sure Dean knew it was a bad idea to withhold the truth, but I think he really did just want to live in that bubble of happiness a while longer. It's like that lull in your life when you know something really bad is coming -- a serious operation, the return of a dread disease, the break-up of a relationship, the end of a job - but in this moment, things are really, really good and that's what you want to hang on to.

But, like I said in my comments after Alice's Review (sorry to repeat.. my brain is fired and the windchill is brutal and sucking every original thought from my mind) ... My only quibble is Sam's guilt over what he did as Robo-Sam. Paraphrasing: "I feel like someone slipped me the worst Mickey of all time, and I woke up to find the city on fire, and the Zippo in my pocket.. So, yeah, it's kind of my fault, but I'll fix it" Isn't that pretty much what happened with Ruby, the demon blood and releasing Lucifer? He got conned and manipulated and used. It's true that RoboSam wasn't Sam, so Sam didn't actually do any of those things. Although I would argue RoboSam was being used by somebody or something. But still, Sam (because he's Sam) has decided to own the mistakes and make amends. To me it seems like the same storyline with different words. But we have 10 episodes left (and hopefully more.. fingers crossed for season 7) to see if it goes down a different path. I hope so, otherwise it might be just a tad repetitive. Although if they decided to repeat some shirtless scenes (and maybe add a few new Dean shirtless scenes, even short-sleeved Dean scenes!) I'd probably be okay with it!

And why is Cas so mad at Dean, who also had his soul sliced up on more than one ocassion? Methinks the blue-eyed angel knows something and might be feeling a tad torn or guilt-ridden himself!

Much left to uncover, but much to enjoy with the return of The (true and souled) Brothers Winchester!

You describe that â€˜lullâ€™ beautifully, and I think both brothers need it at the moment. They know something is coming, and their fear is palpable, too, but this need to be put away, just for a minuteâ€¦

I do hope, as you do, that they wonâ€™t repeat the same storyline. If Sam was able to shed this guilt which is not his sooner, thatâ€™d be a clear sign of his growth. Because he has grown, as has Dean, but the still need to own that, too. Iâ€™d recommend a few sessions on my couch, but, alas, Iâ€™m here and theyâ€™re thereâ€¦

I trust that the writers will bring us something new. As you say, still 10 episodes to go.Cheers, Jas

Sam is back and so is Dean. I am so, so glad. But of course, this being Supernatural, something is rotten in the state of Denmark. There is the fallout of the year-plus of 'missing' time to deal with. It looks like case-wise that fallout begins to reveal itself in the next episode, but the emotional fallout we have caught a glimpse of already...

Your comments about Sam ("knows now that he has been walking around with no soul") and Dean ("barely reveals anything about his life without his brother, and when he should say some more, he turns the radio up") made me think of this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r7xhlfqpN0 that to me captures the true otherness of soulless Sam. And, by the same token, the differences in Dean in his extremes as father and 'killer', rather than as the 'real' Dean that we saw this episode: stubborn, wisecracking and, as always, protective of his brother.

I do love that both Sam and Dean are still the same people we fell in love with, but somewhat older and wiser versions. Not perfect of course, definitely flawed. But they have fought so hard to get where they are. I do hope their relationship heals somewhat over the rest of the season, as they continue to fight the things that go bump in the night.

Magichappening, hello and thank you! Welcome back to a couch sessionâ€¦Thank you for the link to the youtube video, I didnâ€™t know that. What an interesting version, indeed!

I think weâ€™ll always have the essence of the guys, and they keep growing. And, after all, arenâ€™t the flaws in a person the traits we love about them? As Peter Ustinov once said â€˜We respect people for their achievements, but we love them because of their flaws.â€™ How true, donâ€™t you think?

Because those make us unique. Anyone can achieve great things, but the flaws, the tiny and the bigger ones, are a huge part of who we are. And â€“ if we look closely , most flaws are not unforgiveable, are they? Best always, Jas

I do like this reply function too Thanks for your response. Yes, looking at that video again having seen Sam this last week and all the warmth and honesty and caring and empathy he has again, threw the early Season 6 Sam into sharp relief. We did not know he didn't have a soul, but there was definitely something other about him. Am glad Sammy is back

I loved all the 'Sam' moments here, from his dazed appearance and then desperate hug, to puppy dog eyes to horror as Cas' words started to take meaning, his attempt at an apology as the boys gathered their half sword and gear to slay the dragon to his out and out apology at the end...so much goodness, and not to forget his gentle prodding at Dean regarding Lisa.

This episode explains so much of the OOC moments of the earlier season...Dean without Sam isn't Dean. So glad they're back in the saddle again.

As for the non-charasmatic actress...well, like you and others, I'll give her the benefit of another showing because she really didn't have much to do here; however, I do have to question the show's ability to cast actresses in these nasty roles. To my recollection (and speaking only about these 'nasties' that recur) Meg of Season 1 is the only one they've ever done justice to and Ruby of S3 was fairly nasty, all the others have lacked the 'chops' to pull of the gig...I wonder why when they do such a great job casting so many others, including Ellen, Mary (both Mary's) the doctor here, the neighbor in Weekend at Bobby's...somebody should check out who is casting these actresses and why there is a consistent lack of depth, ability and gravitas in these roles.

Ah well, I'll admit, I much prefer my fangirl hat and as long as the boys are brothers, I can yawn my way through the meh parts.

As for all the lies that were revealed here, so glad that at least in this episode they were quickly brought to light and dispensed with, of course there will be fallout ahead but at least the lies are out...right, all of them?

Elle2, hi dear! Thank you for raising your voice! It was a very promising episode and I canâ€™t wait for the next one (for you today, for me tomorrow)â€¦

You know, as for the low-key-actressesâ€¦ perhaps they canâ€™t afford actresses of more gravitas, perhaps they donâ€™t have time for a long casting process, perhaps the CW gives them conditions, who knows. Letâ€™s see what this new one will bring. I tend to be very skeptical, as whenever I watch someone act, I always see the technique, too, which is a part of my own training Iâ€™d like to shed, because then I could watch it without any cave momentsâ€¦ Ah, I still hope this one will pull a good one offâ€¦

I was thinking about Sams Soul.#1: What happend to Sams Soul during his time in hell?#2.: What will happen when Sam starts to remeber?

To 1: We were told: "Filled to the raw nerv" "Hate banging as we speak" or "Skinned alive". So all together realy bad experienses. The only person who we can compare is Dean. But to him the worst of all bad in hell was not beeing tortured, it was becoming a torturer himself. For me this it quite diffrent. For me Sam was in his time in hell beeing a victim to Luzi and Michael.

That leads to question No 2: And agin Dean is our only source to compare. But it works even less in this case. Will Sam suffer from his torture? Yes. Can he live with the knowledge beeing a victim? I donÂ´t know what that does to a person like him.So I leav that to Jas!

Rest assured, Junkerin, that I will address these questions in further articles. How could the resident therapist resist a chance to get the guys on her couch? People can learn to live with the worst of torture experience. Iâ€™ve witnessed that in my line of work often enough to be sure. It depends on many factors, though. First of all the ability to seek help, and the Winchesters havenâ€™t really been big in that department so far. But â€“ we know how strong people they are. They are resilient beyond expectation. If you like, check out this article of mine (Sam and Dean and The Winchester Formula), it might answer some of your questions.

Hi Jas!Call me when Sam is on your couch or Dean as a mather of fact. I think I read all of you artikel during hellout and enjoyed them very much. I like you look into the deep on the charater (even itÂ´s a fictional on)

Yay! Our boys are back & Jas' couch is back!!Jared just amazed me with his switch from RoboSam to Sam. The moment Sam uttered his brother's name, I knew our Sammy was truly back. The hug had me in tears. It was incredibly wonderful to have caring, earnest, ever-questing, take-responsibility Sam back. It was crushing to see his face as he began to realize what had happened to him & what he had done, but he's got Dean to help him through it. Although he's willing to take responsibility for the actions of RoboSam, I think he will come to understand the difference between his real self & that soulless body that had been walking around doing horrible things. He's a smart guy.Getting the real Sam back meant we got the real Dean too. That little smile when Sam used his puppydog eyes on the sister & chided him for taking the diary...oh, it was so wonderful to see that. Cocky, smartass, big-brother Dean! Sure, he knows that Sam will discover the truth, but he'll get a little while to just enjoy having his brother back. In a way, I wish Dean had been able to pull the sword smoothly from the stone, for we all know he's certainly a worthy "knight", but when have things ever been easy for our guys? This way we got a priceless example of Jensen's comedic skills & another demonstration of Winchester ingenuity! Plus the sword still worked, even if it was more of a dagger by that point! (I wonder if the shards of Narsil would have still been as effective in Aragorn's hand; probably!)I figure the show did what they could budget-wise to portray the dragons (although I can't wait to see how awesome Smaug is gonna be in The Hobbit!) It did make sense in the mythology of the show with all monsters we've seen so far being some sort of mutation of human, that these dragons had a human form.I too will reserve judgment on the new Big Bad until we see more of her!Thanks Jas!

Hi Dawn, this was indeed a huge love fest, wasnâ€™t it? Canâ€™t wait either to see Smaug in the Hobbit. A dear friend of mine is travelling to New Zealand in April, She already got the task to bring me Richard Armitage. So curiousâ€¦Thank you so much, love,Jas

I wish Dean had been able to pull the sword smoothly from the stone, for we all know he's certainly a worthy "knight",

Surely "worthy", but "flawless"... hmmm.. I highly doubt it. But this doesn't prove nothing, even Lancelot counldn't touch the Holy Grail because he sinned with Guinevere, still he was the most worthy knight of the Round Table.

Quote:

(I wonder if the shards of Narsil would have still been as effective in Aragorn's hand; probably!)

Well, he was roaming the Wilderness for years having just the shards of Narsil in his sheath, so I suppose he could do pretty well with just a half-sword

I wonder if the shards of the Brunswick sword will go into the arsenal in the trunk of the Impala, or if Dean had the guts to give them back to their legitimate owner...